Month: February 2017

As I had been contemplating the idea for my last post, about taking care of ourselves so we can better care for and serve others, and serve God, my thoughts began to wander to how each of us is called to do something different for God.

Not all of us are called to be ministers or pastors in church, or be part of the music ministry where we are up in front of everyone, or are able to sit in every meeting. Others are called to help in more unseen roles, whether it is helping in the children’s nursery, or Sunday school, or being a Sunday School Van Driver, or janitor, or help prepare the food for or wash dishes after a church function. There are many different ways God calls people that are more than just what you see church service to church service.

God does challenge us, and gets us out of our comfort zones, but he also uses the talents he gave us, to his glory.

In high school I had the opportunity to be in the young people’s choir at church, which was fun while I did it. I had also helped in the nursery during my senior year of high school, which I loved. I had to step out of both of those ministries when I went to college and was attending another church. After college and I came back to the city and church I had grown up in, I had changed and so had my calling. While I don’t have the musical talent that other who are in the regular orchestra and choir have, I knew music ministry was not my calling. The nursery was no longer going, and I knew that teaching Sunday school, at this point in time is not my calling.

While I know the Lord has placed a larger call on my life that I am still being prepared for, in the mean time, God has called me to help a friend of mine who has three little boys who are all under 3 as of writing this post. The effort that it takes to get all 3 to church for Sunday school, and through the morning meeting on her own would be impossible without some help from family and close friends to lend a hand. While I won’t give many details about her story, since it is her story, I just wanted to share that many a Sunday morning when she is there with her boys, I am there to help out and take one of the boys, and help keep them distracted, and get them loaded up after church.

The past several years I have also helped with cookies and hot chocolate for the annual weekend long Christmas event we do. Honestly, I would just as soon be back in the kitchen than being up in front of a ton of people.

There are those who are called to be ministers, pastors, missionaries who preach the word of the lord, others who are called to the music ministry (choir, orchestra, worship/praise team/band), and others who are called to do the cooking and cleaning. Someone has to make the food for church events and clean up afterward. Someone has to keep the church clean, it doesn’t clean itself.

We each are unique, and have unique talents and skills that God uses, and gives us the strength to do what he calls us to do that is out of our comfort zone, that we do with a willing heart.

“And he said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9-10‬ ‭KJV

This scripture came to mind as I was writing that last little bit. God also uses areas where we are weak for his glory, and that his strength is made perfect in our weakness.

That doesn’t mean I will be a choir soloist, just because that is a weakness for me, but talking to others about Christ and what he has done for me, or one day being a pastor or minister’s wife, if that is what the lord wants, I would do it. Would I choose to do it, or consider it a strong point, no.

God calls us to do different things, some of them really do play off our strengths and talents, other things some may feel are beneath them, or too hard for us, but we can do all things through God, and nothing that He calls us to do is beneath us. With his things we can do what we thought was impossible. In doing as we are called to do, that is where the blessing is.

I don’t know about you all, but where I come from, we, as Christians, especially us ladies are taught, even subconsciously that we have to take care of and serve others to the point neglecting our own needs.

I am not arguing the point that we as Christians are called to care for and serve others. That is loud and clear and what we are supposed to do. My point is, that we also need to take care of ourselves.

Why is taking care of ourselves also important? Because we are humans too. We have physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs as well. If we burn ourselves out and run ourselves ragged then we can no longer effectively be useful to help others and God. From the beginning God created a day of rest, because he knew we would need it. More than just that one day, we do need to take time for ourselves, and take care of our own needs.

While we are called to help, care for, and serve others, we also have a personal responsibility to make sure our own needs are met, so we don’t end up burning out.

If what you are doing for God is part of what is causing your burn out, let me ask you this, are you doing it because it is expected of you by another human being, or is it because God actually called you to do it? I will be talking a bit more about God’s call, and for each of us in another post. I just want you to know, that what you are doing for God is what he wants you to be doing for him.

I have a friend, who has 3 little boys, who at this point of time are 29 months (the twins) and 13 months (the little dude), and I have heard her talk about when the twins were a lot smaller, that the only time she truly had to herself was when she was in the shower. It was during that time when she came across a brand of products that she fell in love with and allowed her to pamper herself in those few short minutes she had to herself. She is an amazing mom, and wife. I have learned a lot from her, and I highly respect her. And from her, I have been learning to take joy in the little things, and with what you have, take some time to take care of your own needs.

This is me, getting to be auntie to my friends little guys.

Taking time each day to take care of ourselves, and spend time with God, is not at all selfish or being “unchristian”. Taking care of ourselves allows us to better take care of others and serve them as God would have us to do.

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:11‬ ‭KJV‬

This is the verse that was today’s verse of the day in my Bible app. It stood out to me, in part because of some trials of faith that I have been going through lately, where God has been showing me areas of my life I need to give him and trust him with that I haven’t fully consecrated to him. In doing so, I know I will be getting his Blessing.

While the specifics of these trials I have been going through aren’t important in terms of this post, what is important is that through these trials, I have had to draw closer to God for his direction in my life and my future. It’s not about what I want for my life, it’s about me surrendering to God and following his plan and his call for me. What God wants for my life is not what I had wanted for my life, but in doing his will, there will the blessing, joy and fulfillment be.

Staying where I am at, doing what I am doing is no longer working, as I know the Lord is calling me to more and getting out of my comfort zone. I was where I am for a season, and now it is time for me to follow God to the next place he would have me go. Where God is leading, I wouldn’t have chosen for myself, but if that is where he wants me to be, will be the place where he helps me to grow in him and thrive, and do his will. Leaving all I know behind will be hard, but it will help me grow and trust God way more than I do now.